Complain of Yourself

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allāh have mercy upon him,  said:

The ignorant one complains about Allāh to the people! This is the height of ignorance in complaining and in whom the complaint is about. For if a person were to truly know his Lord, he would never complain of Him. If he truly knew people, he would never complain to them … The gnostic complains only to Allāh, and the most knowledgeable of the gnostics are those who complain to Allāh about themselves, not others … So there are three levels: The most contemptible of them is to complain to people about Allāh; the loftiest of them is to complain to Allāh about oneself; the middle level is to complain to Allāh about others.

• Source: al-Fawa’id
• Transcribed from: Translator’s Footnote from ‘The Exquisite Peal – The Journey to Allāh & The Home of the Hereafter’ | Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Rahmān Al-Sa’di

Read Full Post »

Two Paradises

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said: ‘There is no [true] bliss, nor any delight, joy, or completeness for him, except in knowing Allāh, loving Him, being tranquil in the remembrance of Him, feeling delighted in drawing closer to Him and in yearning to meet Him; this being the paradise of the worldly life. Likewise, there is no delight or success for him in the Afterlife, except with his being enveloped in the Abode of Bliss in the Paradise of the next life. So there are for him two paradises, he will not enter the latter without first entering the former.

I heard Shaykh’l-Islām  Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh sanctify his soul, saying: ‘Indeed there is a paradise in this world, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Afterlife.’

One of the gnostics said: ‘There are times that pass over the heart about which I say: If the people of Paradise are in the likes of this [state], then what a wonderful life they are in.’

• Source: Madārij al-Sālikīn
• Transcribed from: The Translator’s Preface to ‘The Exquisite Peal – The Journey to Allāh & The Home of the Hereafter’ | Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Rahmān Al-Sa’di

Read Full Post »

Tawakkul (Trusting) in Allaah

The Messenger of Allāh salAllaahu alayhi wasallam described those who trust in Allāh as having two qualities: they seek means and ways of earning their livelihood and have great trust in He Who has full control of all means and ways of provision. Those who possess only one or none of these qualities will acquire failure and utter loss. In contrast, those who seek the legal and lawful ways of earning their sustenance, trust in Allāh and appreciate His bounties whenever they earn them, all the while observing patience during times of hardship and distress, will acquire success and win what they need and covet.

How can those who acknowledge that they are in need of their Lord in all conditions and situations, not trust in Him? How can those who acknowledge that they are helpless and feeble without the help of their Lord, ever stop seeking His help or invoking Him for relief? How can those who are certain that ownership of all affairs rests in Allāh’s Hands, not ask Him for their various needs? How can those who have knowledge of Allāh’s Richness and Most Generous Essence, refrain from seeking His Kindness in all of their matters? How can those who are certain of Allāh’s Mercy, that He is more merciful with His slaves than the mother with her own child, not trust His Judgment? How can those who know that Allāh is Most Wise in all decisions, not feel assured and pleased with all that He decides and destines for them?

Read Full Post »

A Fly

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ

“O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily those on whom you call besides Allāh, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.” (Hajj 22:73)

Shaykh Abdur Rahmaan as-Sa’dee said:

This is a parable which Allaah has given to show the vileness of worshipping idols, and to explain the deficiency of the intellect of those who worship them, and the weakness of all of them. So He said:

“O mankind!”

Which is an address to the Believers and the Unbelievers. So the Believers will increase in knowledge and clarity, whereas the Unbelievers will have the proof established against them.

“A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully) …”

Meaning: listen attentively to it and understand what it comprises. Do not meet it with inattentive hearts, nor with hearing that is turning away. Rather pay attention to it with your hearts and your hearing; and it is this:

Read Full Post »

The Best of Both Worlds

`Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood radiallaahu `anhu relates that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam would supplicate:

“O Allaah! I ask You for guidance, piety, safety and well-being, and contentment and sufficiency.” (Allaahummaa innee as’alukal-hudaa wat-tuqaa wal-`afaafa wal-ghinaa). [Related by Muslim, no 2721]

Imaam as-Sa`dee (d. 1376 AH) – rahimahullaah – said in [Bahjatul Quloobul-Abraar (p.198)]:

“This du`aa (supplication) is from the most comprehensive and beneficial du`aas (supplications), since it includes asking Allaah for well-being with regards to both the Religion and the world.

Read Full Post »

A Spider’s House

“The likeness of those who take (false deities as) Auliya (protectors, helpers) other than Allaah is as the likeness of a spider who builds (for itself) a house; but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses is the spider’s house- if they but knew” (29:41)

Shaykh ‘Abdur Rahmaan As-Sa’dee said:This is a parable given by Allaah for those who worship others along with Him, desiring by that to elevate, strengthen and benefit themselves. So it is made clear that the matter is contrary to their desires. Rather the example of such a person is like that of the spider which takes a house to protect it from heat and cold and harm.

“but verily, the frailest (weakest) of houses….”

The weakest and feeblest of them.

“…is the spider’s house..“

So the spider is a weak animal and its house is from the weakest of houses. So adopting it only increases it in weakness. Likewise those who seek to take others besides Allaah as protectors are needy and weak from every aspect, and when they take others besides Allaah to strengthen them and aid them then this only adds to their weakness and incapacity. So they place reliance upon them for attainment of many of their requirements. They submit their needs to them and consign them totally to them, expecting them to fulfill them, however they leave them in the lurch. So they gain nothing at all from them, and they do not aid them in the slightest.

So if they truly knew their own condition and the condition of those whom they take as protectors besides Allaah, then they would not take them as protectors. Rather they would free themselves from them and they would take as their Protector ,the Lord, the Fully-Capable One, the Bestower of Mercy; the One who is such that if the servant takes Him as his Protector, and places reliance upon Him, then He suffices all his needs pertaining to his religion and worldly life. So he is increased in strength: in his heart, his body, his condition and his actions”

• Parables of the Qu’raan || by: Ash-Shaykhul ‘Allaamah ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir As-Sa’dee

Read Full Post »

The Tree of Faith

See you not how Allâh sets forth a parable? – A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high). Giving its fruit at all times, by the Leave of its Lord and Allâh sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may remember. (Ibrahim 14:24-25)

Allah has likened the statement of faith, which is the best of statements, with a tree that is the best of trees bearing these noble characteristics. Its roots are firm, it is always growing and maturing and it bears fruit all the time, directing its numerous benefits and delectable fruits to its owner and others.

This tree varies greatly in the hearts of the believers, changing in accordance to the variation of the qualities that Allah has described it with. Therefore it is upon the servant to hasten towards acquiring knowledge about it, its descriptions, that which leads to its existence and potency, its roots and its branches. It is upon him to expend his efforts in actualizing this tree in terms of knowledge and action for indeed his portion of goodness and success, happiness in this life and the Hereafter, is dependant upon the extent to which this tree (is implanted in the heart).

• Taken From: The Tree of Faith | Author: Allamah Abdur-Rahman al-Sa’di (d1376)

Read Full Post »